History of Elden | The Cars

Mk 7 – Sturdgess PRH 7

Formula F100 Sports Racing Car | 1969 | 3 Cars Produced

The Elden / Sturdgess PRH 7 is a Formula F100 Sports Car originally designed for the Tarmac F100 championship using a Ford Kent 1300cc engine. The bodywork was designed and made by Tony Hilder, the bodywork designer for McLaren.

The cars struggled with overheating: the inlet to the front mounted radiator was underneath the nose with the outlet on top. Factory produced bodywork subsequently had a notch cut in the front of the nose to aid with improved cooling. The issue would later be solved by using a lip to direct the flow, reducing pressure on the radiator outlet and so allowing better airflow through the radiator.

Four chassis were fabricated. Elden was facing financial difficulties and at the same time was starting on mass production of the Mk 8 Formula Ford. With factory space needed for the Mk 8 and insufficient finances to fulfil the Mk 7 orders, three of the chassis were sold to Clarke Sturgess who finished their construction. The fourth car was never finished and so put into storage and was eventually modified into the Mk 11 Sports Racing Car.

One car was purchased by Mark Cole from Hot Car Magazine and the other two originally driven by Clarke and Chris Lee.

All three finished cars are still racing today.

Notable Races, Championships and Records

Lap record at Castle Combe on 12th April 1971, driven by Chris Lee in 1m-10.2s averaging 94.36 mph.

Equalled lap record at Mallory Park on 16th May 1971, driven by Chris Lee in 52.0s averaging 93.46 mph.

Lap record at Brands Hatch on 2nd June 1990, driven by David Hudson in 1m-41.8s averaging 91.94 mph.

Lap record at Brands Hatch on 31st May 1992, driven by Davis Hudson in 1m-41.59s averaging 92.13 mph.

HSCC RJB Mining Championship in 1997, driven by David Hudson.